Perforated plate apparatus for counting jewels



Dec. 9, 1947. J. 0. LE VAN PERFORATED PLATE APPARATUS FOR COUNTING JEWELS Filed Dec. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

.LE VAN H.

Dec. 9, 1947. J. o. LE VAN PERFORATED PLATE APPARATUS FOR COUNTING JEWELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1942 INVENTOR. JAMES 0. LE VAN Patented Dec. 9, 1947 James .Oliver Le Van, Lancaster; Pa.;-assignor to -Hamiltn Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa.

Aiahlicttidrfbecrhber 9, 1942, Serial No. 468,409 2Claims. (01. 209-93) 1 'Ihis 'inventi'o'n relates tdra method ofcounting small objects and the apparatus used-in carrying In tlde counting of-s'mallobjects such as'jewels for watchesj compasses or likeprecisioninstruments'great difficulty "is experienced in getting an accurate count between thedifferent steps in "the processing; of the jewels. As these jewels must be countedbetweeneach step in their processingfmu'ch timefis consumed as this counting is" done manually at present.

"It istheobje'ct"of"this invention to provide an apparatus which when used with ordinary skill and attention will accurately count any small identical objects.

It is a further object to provide'anapparatus for counting objects whose mass is negligible.

It is a further object to provide a quick, sure, accurate counting mechanisin for watch jewels. It "is'a'still further object to provide apparams for counting in multiple units.

It is a still further object to provi de*a n ap- 'p'aratus'which will select multiple units of small identicalbbjects, registering the number of such units.

"*It'is' a still further object'toprovide an apparatus which will select small objects ofthe same "diameter and including other objects not smaller than three-fourths of the diameter.

7 It is a still further object to provide a vibrating selective unit for receiving a desired number of identical objects.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan, showing in dotted lines the dumping position.

Fig, 2 is a side elevation, showing in dotted lines the tilt of the vibrator.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the vibrating plate securing means and the vibration adjusting means.

Fig. 4 is an electric diagram of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a view of the vibrating plate showing the relation of the perforation and intervening spaces.

The device as illustrated shows the apparatus mounted on a base I l which may be of wood, metal or plastic and which supports a standard I2 having a base portion I3 firmly fixed to the base ll.

Rotatably carried in the standard I2 is a yoke I4 with a lower stem l5 and upper arms l6 and I1. Pivot bolts l8 and I9 threaded into the yoke arms I6 and I! are locked in desired position by locking nuts and 2] which rotats ably hold bearing 22. "By reason'of the 'rotatably mounted stem" the bearing is capableof swinging through 3'60'in a horizontal plane while the pivot bolt support gives it movement in'a direc- "tion at right angles to the horizontal plane.

Slidably carried in the bearing 22 is the' tube '23 which extends from the vibrating magnet 24 and housesthe vibrating rod (not shownLJA resistance unit 25 controls the amount of vibration.

Adapted to be adjustably attached to the tube 23 is a pocketed vibrating plate '26. This vibrating" plateis formed from a base plate 21 and-a top plate'2B which are secured to each other'by any'desirable'rneans such as soldering, cementing orthe like. "me portion of thebase plate which "contacts the top plate'is oxidized or darkened to assist ininspectionof the filled vibratingplate.

The top plate"28- is perforated Withiany" number of holes 29 ,'here shown as one hundred, but of course adaptable to any desired number. The

- perforations are spaced (see Fig. 5) by'a distance T 5| which is greater than thediameter 52 of-the perforations topermit the articles to' be sorted to pass between saidperforations when filled with objects which project above the plate surface. The outer'edge of the perforation is beveledat 36 to permit the jewels or small objects to'be countedto slide in the'pockets thus formed.

This bevelingi-lilalsoserves to eliminate a second jewel from the perforation when the jewels being graded are thinner than p1a te28, the'beV- eled edges allowing the top jewel to slide out.

-' Thisvibrating plate is highly finished such as chromium plated over a ground surface, polished stainless steel or some similar surface.

A rod 3| is threaded into the base plate 21 at 32 and has an enlarged head 33 adapted to contact the vibrating rod of the magnet 24. A spring 34 fitting loosely over the rod 3|- bears against the enlarged head 33 and an adjusting nut 35 which is formed with a threaded portion 36' adapted to be threaded into the tube 23. Adjustment of this nut 35 also controls the vibration of the vibrating plate by varying the tension of the spring 34. The outer surface of the nut portion 35 is fluted at 36 and a spring finger 31 secured to the tube 23 holds the nut in desired position. The nut also carries a rod 38 which extends under the vibrating plate 26 and serves to steady the vibrating plate.

Two funnels are used in the counting operation, an overflow funnel 39 and a receiving funnel 40. The overflow funnel 39 has the regular sloping portion 4| and upright supporting sides 3 42, 43 and 44 and a base 45. One side is left open to allow an overflow pan or drawer (not shown) to be inserted and catch the overflow from the vibrating plate. The receiving funnel 40 is formed similar to funnel 39 with an open side to receive a drawer or container for the counted objects and has upstanding walls 46 and 4'! to prevent spilling of the objects in the dumping operation.

A counting mechanism 48 is attached to the yoke I 4 through the pin 49 and spring 50 which relieves the operator of keeping a written or mental remainder of the number of dumping operations.

The diagram in Fig. 4 shows the resistance 25 and vibrating magnet 24 connected to the ordinary current source 5|.

In use, the vibrating magnet is set in operation and the amount of vibration adjusted by means of the resistance to approximately that desired. The vibrating plate is positioned over the overflow funnel making sure a pan or drawer is below and a quantity of small identical objects such as watch jewels are poured on said upper perforated plate which is in rapid vibration. By tilting the vibrating plate about a horizontal axis as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 or slanting it otherwise the jewels are caused to fill the pockets 29, entrance being made easy by the beveled sides 30. The excess jewels, of course, slide off the vibrating plate into the funnel and end in the pan or drawer, none being lost or scattered. The now filled vibrating plate is swung on the pin 15 and when over the receiving funnel, inverted to dump its counted load of jewels in said funnel. This action causes the register to advance, thus keeping account of the number of dumpings which multiplied by the number of pockets on the vibrating plate gives the total count.

The operator must, of course, make a visual examination to be sure the pockets are filled. This examination also serves to grade the jewels for, as sometimes happens, should there be a smaller jewel in one of the pockets, the dark outline about the jewel makes it stand out as a smaller jewel and it can be removed by hand while, of course, larger jewels are rejected by the vibrating plate itself. The amount of vibration may be adjusted at this time to a fine point by the operator simply by turning the tube 23 while holding the vibrating plate stationary. This amount is determined by the performance of the jewels 0n the vibrating plate.

The use of difierent size vibrating plates having different size or/and number of pockets is, of course, part of the apparatus which is here shown only with one. This difference in mass of the vibrating plate is what makes it necessary to have an adjustment in the magnitude of the vibration.

In experimental use with this apparatus one operator does the work of eight formerly used in manual counting. It is, therefore, a practical method of counting very small identical objects, accurately and with speed, something which up to the present no apparatus has accomplished.

What is claimed is:

1. A counting apparatus for watch jewels comprising an upright standard, an overflow hopper, a receiving hopper, a support pivotally mounted on said upright standard, a perforated plate having a darkened underlying base plate carried on said support and adapted to be selectively positioned above either of said hoppers and means for vibrating said plate.

2. A counting apparatus for watch jewels comprising an upright standard, an overflow hopper, a receiving hopper, a support pivotally mounted on said upright standard, a perforated plate carried on said support and adapted to be selectively positioned above either of said hoppers, means underlying said perforated plate to clearly designate when said perforations are filled, and means for vibrating said plate.

JAMES OLIVER LE VAN REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STA'lES PATENTS Number Name Date 715,247 Davis Dec. 9, 1902 746,916 Bender ec. 15, 1903 838,468 Shumway 2 Dec. 11, 1906 937,152 Kallenbach -2 Oct. 19, 1909 1,342,733 Austin June 8, 1920 1,362,803 Kondo Dec. 21, 1920 2,222,104 Kelley Nov. 19, 1940 213,720 Wemple Mar. 25, 1879 1,622,243 Andrews Mar. 22, 1927 1,676,519 Carter July 10, 1928 2,143,518 Kolin Jan. 10, 1939 1,945,395 Cockrell Jan. 30, 1934 1,000,873 Zipp Aug. 15, 1911 1,874,113 Morgan Aug. 30, 1932 1,987,001 Davis Jan. 8, 1935 

